FOOTLIGHTS

By KATHRYN SHATTUCK

Published: July 31, 2005

'The Life of a Giant'

''I guess you'd call me a little big guy,'' Jimmy Heath said somewhat sheepishly the other day in a telephone interview from his home in Corona, Queens. ''I'm only 5-3 or 5-4, but career-wise, I've had the life of a giant.''

He wasn't exaggerating. In six decades as a jazz saxophonist, Mr. Heath, 78, has played alongside Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and John Coltrane and taught President Clinton a thing or two at the White House. As a young man, he was nicknamed Little Bird for his musical resemblance to Charlie Parker, and he helped steer jazz from the big-band style into bebop. He has performed on more than 100 albums and had more than 125 jazz hits. He also shared his wealth of knowledge for 11 years at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.

Mr. Heath's list of awards ranges from a designation as an American Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts to the first honorary doctorate given in jazz by the Juilliard School. On Wednesday, the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts in Huntington will honor him for lifetime achievement.

Mr. Heath first went to Usdan, a performing arts camp for students 6 to 18, in the 1980's. Since then, he has taken them on a journey through history. On Wednesday, he will join his prot?s for one of his own compositions at the center's annual gala.

Mr. Heath was 14 when he picked up the alto sax. By 19 he was teaching, and to the members of his first ensemble, including Benny Golson and Coltrane, it was a university of new jazz. In his mid-20's, Mr. Heath switched to tenor sax, and his reputation grew. In 1975, a dream came true when he founded a quartet that included his brothers Percy, a bassist, and Tootie, a drummer.

Thirty years later, Mr. Heath is still going strong. ''I just got back from Istanbul a couple of days ago,'' he said. ''I was in Europe on a five-concert tour with the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Big Band.''

So what does a man being honored for lifetime achievement consider the achievement of a lifetime?

''There are so many that it's hard,'' he said. ''But I think one is being around Dizzy Gillespie since 1949, when I was in his band, until he passed. He was like my mentor, because he had big bands and small groups, and he was very instrumental in bringing both of those size groups to the public. I was friendly with Charlie Parker and Coltrane and other people. Miles, I played with him, too. But Dizzy I call the most accessible genius I ever met.''

Inspired by the dwelling of the tragic Lady Elaine in Tennyson's ''Lady of the Lake,'' whose unrequited love for Lancelot literally killed her, this castle in one-twelfth scale features anything a heartsick maiden could want, from a wine cellar to a luxurious boudoir. There is even a trophy room for her beloved to show off his prizes. And he can take the electrified elevator to get there.

Astolat Castle will make its East Coast debut on Tuesday at the Tee Ridder Miniature Museum at the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor.

''The castle is worth so much because of the structure itself,'' said Paula Gilhooley, Tee Ridder's administrative curator.

Designed by Elaine Diehl, a Colorado miniaturist, the castle is assembled from about 200 sections that interlock with pegs. It took 13 years and 6,000 hours to build before Ms. Diehl turned to the interior.

''Each room is decorated with furniture, tables, chairs, artwork and lighting made by artisans from around the world, and the materials are unique and expensive,'' Ms. Gilhooley said.